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Brace yourselves, rainy season is coming! The first rainstorms show that the Philippine summer is over.

Within minutes, huge puddles appear at every street corner and the way home becomes an obstacle course. People block the streets with their umbrellas while hurrying home, lining up at the bus stop or desperately trying to get the attention of the few remaining free taxis.

Now it is time to get a small but sturdy umbrella and to make it a habit to NEVER leave the house without it. If you get surprised by a rainstorm anyway, Ministop and 7Eleven are probably the nearest places where you can buy an umbrella, for 120 to 150 pesos - if they are not yet sold out. Bringing an extra pair of shoes and socks might be worth consideration as well.

Apart from that, the Megacitizens of Metro Manila can only follow the example of the Filipinos, most of whom bear the inconveniences of the rainy season with their usual cheerful stoicism.

The rainy season normally starts in June, peaks in July and August and ends some time in October or November. Here you find some tips of what to do when Manila gets seriously flooded.

Getting from A to B during the Philippine rainy season is no fun. As a little remedy for pedestrians, Makati City has developed a network of elevated and roofed walkways, connecting the shopping and entertainment area Ayala Center and the Central Business District (CBD).